Thursday, December 27, 2012

So every year there's always this last week in which there's all different lists people put together. Best book boyfriends of the year, best book of the year, best villains, favorite characters, etc, etc. I tried last year... I really did! But, when you're in love with books as much as I am, and I'm sure the blogsphere is, it's RIDICULOUSLY hard to choose just ten when most of us read around 100 books a year and love almost all of them.

But, there are too many amazing authors and amazing books and amazing characters for me to limit it down to lists. I tend to love every book I read for different reasons. If you read my reviews, talk to me, or stalk my goodreads you'll know which books broke my heart or which books made me jump around my room with joy.

I don't object to these posts at all though! I actually love seeing what other's choose and I even find myself finding a lot of new stories I haven't read yet!

So honestly, I hope every one has loved all the books they've read this year. And I am so GOD-DAMN excited for the 2013 books that will be releasing!

LETTTTSSS GET IT.

And, I may have wanted to just post some awesome gifs. Mission accomplished. :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday! If you already started tonight (Christmas Eve) like I did... I hope it was fabulous! And, if you're starting tomorrow or not, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! If you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope your holiday is just as wonderful no matter what you celebrate!! I heart you all so much!!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

About Cindi Madsen: Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

I’m so happy to be here at Shortie Says to
celebrate my new release ALL THE BROKEN PIECES!

I decided it would be fun to do an interview with
Liv, since she doesn’t have all her memories intact. Basically, ever since she
woke up from the coma a car wreck put her in, she’s been dealing with two
warring voices. Whenever she’s trying to make a decision, they both chime in,
and they rarely agree. Luckily Liv’s had Spencer to help introduce her to a few
things, but there are times when it’s hard to decide exactly what she wants. That’s
why I figured it’d be more fun if Spencer could help her out and do the
interview along with her.

**

Vanilla or chocolate?

Liv:Vanilla. Ugh, boring, definitely
chocolate. No vanilla. How about just both?

Spencer:
What? You said to ask. *He squeezes Liv’s hand* Soccer for me. *Smiles at Liv*
We’ll check that sport off the list next.

Ebook or paper?

Liv:
Anything but the Great Gatsby, in any version

Spencer:
ebook

Salty or sweet?

Liv: Sweet

Spencer: *winks at
Liv* Sweet.

Beach or mountains?

Liv:
By the Verde River with Spencer. *Glances at Spencer and blushes.*

Spencer:
*grins.* What she said.

Phone call or email?

Liv:
Phone. *Raises an eyebrow at Spencer*

Spencer:
Phone for Liv, email for everyone else.

Early bird or night owl?

Liv:
Early bird. No, don’t say that. Cool people stay up late. Who cares what they
say? *Sighs* See what I have to deal with?

Spencer:
Night Owl

Dog or cat?

Liv:
dogs, definitely dogs.

Spencer:
Dog

Messy or neat?

Liv:
Neat, but mostly just to keep Mom happy.

Spencer:
Messy *Liv nods & says, “Especially his handwriting.”*

Ninjas or pirates?

Liv:
I know I should know what those are, but it’s not clicking right now. *Spencer
leans over and whispers, “Ninjas. Definitely ninjas.” Okay, ninjas

Spencer:
Ninjas

Favorite music?

Liv: *glances at Spencer
and grins* Not 311. *Spencer shakes his head* Hard choice. It’s a toss-up
between Green Day, Angels and Airwaves, and Katie Perry. I can’t help it, I
love her. And Spencer loves her, too, he just won’t admit it. *More head
shaking from Spencer*

Spencer: 311, Radiohead, and
Green Day. Now if you’ll excuse us, it looks like we need to go listen to
music, and settle this music argument for once and for all. *Liv shrugs,
smiles, and follows Spencer*

**

Again, thanks for having us and all of
our personalities today!

SS: Anytime!! Really... I love you both! I need to hang with Spencer and his awesome music taste... just sayin'! So come back soon!!

_________________________________________________________

- Review -

Can someone make a movie out of this book, please? It'd be part thriller, part romance, part awesomeness! I cannot get over how much I loved this book. It's almost like a physiological contemporary and I loved every moment of it. Part sweet and part intense... I couldn't put this book down until the end and it's easily worked its way onto my favorites list.

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

Thoughts: Can someone make a movie out of this book, please? It'd be part thriller, part romance, part awesomeness! I cannot get over how much I loved this book. It's almost like a physiological contemporary and I loved every moment of it. Part sweet and part intense... I couldn't put this book down until the end and it's easily worked its way onto my favorites list.

I had so many theories when I read the synopsis. Then I had more theories as I read. Even though I ended up being right... all the mishaps, discoveries, and adorable moments along the way just made it so worth it. How would you feel waking up, instantly moving and not remembering absolutely anything from your previous life? To have to completely start over and not even remember trivial things like how to ride a bike or if you had a boyfriend in the past?

Spencer and Liv are like that couple that you pass in the halls of school and want to throw up because they're so adorable. Yet, I absolutely love everything about their relationship. Spencer starts off being hot and cold but all he becomes is the most adorable boy you could ever want. Watching him help Liv figure out her past and not running is just another reason to not let that kid go. And, Liv... isn't quite right. She's quite mixed up honestly yet there's a reason for it all and I loved her strength through every moment.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It had it's twists, it's turns, it's crazy moments, and all it's sweet moments. I absolutely loved how it was like a thriller slash contemporary. You're constantly trying to figure out what is going on in Liv's head while also watching a girl try to start a new life. I absolutely loved all the revelations and thrilling moments that seem to creep up on you while reading. This was one of those books that once I picked up, I could not flip the pages fast enough. I just had to know what was happening and how it would end. Totally loved and highly suggest picking this one up!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Last year I tried what I called a "Shortie Says Holiday Hunt" and yes, I was nervous that it would suck and no one would participate and it would just end up horrendously. BUT, I was so wrong. It went so well, and I met so many awesome new bloggers and friends. I love giving and the fact that so many participated and I got such great feedback from it... well I'm doing it again! I love the blog sphere SO much. I have met so many amazing bloggers, authors, editors, publishers, readers, and ultimately amazing friends. So this is my time to have fun and end the year giving back to all of you! I just know all of you will make it as awesome as it was last year! Let the games begin! :)

________________________________________________________

- Details -

They will basically be the same as last year. :)

WHO: Well me of course. I'm giving away to all you lovely people! :)

WHAT: Now, this is what makes this "hunt" so epic. On EACH day, I'm going to post a new giveaway. That means there will be SEVEN giveaways total! BUT, each giveaway will only last for 24 hours (12am EST - 11:59pm EST). So, if you want to enter each one, you're going to have to become a Shortie Says stalker! Also, I cannot tell you what I'm giving away each day, well because then you'd know where to find them (and this is a hunt)! But they will be things like a series, gift cards, favorite books, book of choice, etc.

WHEN: Starting on Christmas (Tuesday, December 25th) until New Years Eve (Monday, December 31st). So it's going to last for a whole week!!

WHERE: Here's the tricky part or fun part depending on how you see it! Each giveaway is going to be scattered throughout my blog. Which means you're going to have to search for it! It may be in a review, a post on its own (if you're lucky), on my sidebar, on one of the pages, but it will be up to you to search for it!!!

Now, I'm not totally evil ;)... so I'm going to give you hints to where they will be hiding. Each day if you come back to THIS post, I will have a hint posted below (titled Hints... clever huh?) BUT also... if you follow me on twitter (@Jenababy13) I will be giving more hints through out the day as to where you can find the giveaway. (Follow the hashtag: #SSHolidayHunt)

WHY: Well, because I CAN! Haha, that and because I love my followers. Especially the ones who continuously come back, comment, check my blog often... you are the best! Plus, it's the giving season! You always give around holidays, so I'm giving to all of you! :)

Winners: Each winner will be posted the next day towards the bottom of this post. Also, I will e-mail all the winners regardless.

HE'S CUTE... RIGHT?!

________________________________________________________

- Rules -

- There will be one winner per giveaway. Seven winners total.
- Each giveaway will last 24 hours and will end each night @ 11:59pm EST.
- All giveaways are International.
- Winners will be chosen randomly.
- Each giveaway will have it's own ways to gain entries. Please read them carefully.
- If you have any other questions please see my Giveaway Policy. Or you can e-mail me.

________________________________________________________

- Hints -

Here's a big hint to start - When looking for the giveaway, look for the Holiday Hunt Avatar. When you find it, you'll see something along the lines of "Congratulations! You've found today's Holiday Hunt Giveaway! Use the rafflecopter below to enter to win... (whatever the giveaway is)." Sound good?!

This is the type of hint I like to give most of my fiction characters...

________________________________________________________

- Winners -

* Keep in mind that even if I announce that you have won, I may not e-mail you right away. But, you will receive an e-mail from me soon!*
PS. If any one has an issue with me posting their name here, please comment/e-mail and let me know.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Synopsis: 18-year-old Vincent Hazelwood has spent his entire life being shuffled from one foster home to the next. His grades sucked. Making friends? Out of the question thanks to his nervous breakdowns and unpredictable moods. Still, Vince thought when Maggie Atkins took him in, he might’ve finally found a place to get his life—and his issues—in order.

But then Maggie keels over from a heart attack. Vince is homeless, alone, and the inheritance money isn't going to last long. A year ago, Vince watched a girl leap to her death off a bridge, and now he's starting to think she had the right idea.

Vince stumbles across a website forum geared toward people considering suicide. There, he meets others with the same debate regarding the pros and cons of death: Casper, battling cancer, would rather off herself than slowly waste away. And there’s quiet, withdrawn Adam, who suspects if he died, his mom wouldn't even notice.

As they gravitate toward each other, Vince searches for a reason to live while coping without Maggie's guidance, coming to terms with Casper's imminent death, and falling in love with a boy who doesn't plan on sticking around.

Thoughts: Some authors have a way of pulling me into their writing and making me feel all the emotions. Making me want to crawl inside myself and ask why I feel like I relate to these characters and their issues. Yet, that's what makes you love books. Feeling like you can relate to them, love them, or want to fix them. I felt all of that with the characters in Kelley's book. Loved every moment in Suicide Watch, from the haunting opening to the bittersweet ending.

Vince did it. He graduated high school... something he wasn't so sure he'd ever do. He's been socially awkward and withdrawn. After constantly hopping from foster home to foster home he thinks he finally has something going for him with Maggie. But, then Maggie dies of a heart attack and he's not sure his life is worth living now. He's homeless and only has money to support him for a little while. Vince seeks out somewhere to put his emotion and finds a website geared towards people considering suicide. It's there he meets Casper and Adam. Casper who is already dying of cancer and wants to control her own death. And, Adam who's quiet and invisible in his own home. Together the three of them use their suicidal thoughts to form a bond like no other.

There's something about struggling characters with dark emotions that seem to always pull me in to their abyss. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's these kind of books that never fail to me. I live for these heart-wrenching stories. Yet it's not all thunderstorms in Suicide Watch. I found myself absolutely loving Vince, Casper, and Adam's stories. How they literally become each other's last hope, each other's reasons for sticking around. And, Adam and Vince they're exactly what each other needs. Someone to tell you 'Hey you're worth living for'. We all need those people every now and again.

Overall, I absolutely adored this story from beginning to end. The beginning, as haunting as it was... I absolutely loved it and I loved how Kelley brought it full circle in the end. Each character also has their own story, yet they all connect in one way or another and I think Kelley did a beautiful job of intertwining them all. I have absolutely adored every story Kelley has written so far and Suicide Watch is no exception. It's bittersweet, emotional, and overall a haunting beauty.

Thanks for having me, Jena. As you know, I’m not a big fan of interviews, but Ada threatened me with a stake through the heart if I don’t talk. I’m going to do my best for you!

SS: So, tell all my lovely readers what color are you sporting in your hair today?

I added some red to the green for the “ReAwakened” release celebration, but it ended up looking like I had a Christmas tree on my head, so I’m dying the red back to a dark green. It will go well with the Book III cover. Oh, did I just reveal something I wasn't supposed to?

SS: You do that ;).. So... do you have a favorite song to play on the guitar? Would you play one for me sometime soon?! I would just...*sigh*...love it.

"Carry On Wayward Son" (acoustic version). Kinda fitting for my life.

SS: Oh! Classic! Do you have a favorite band you listen to? (I love music!)

I've stuck mostly to the old-school rock stuff, but I'd love to hear some newer recommendations from you.

SS: Come on over... we'll work on updating your music taste! So... Are you happy Dawn wrangled you up into her team? Or do you wish you were still doing your own thing?

Now that I’m used to them all, I’m very happy. Being with the gang kind of reminds me of the time in my life when I was touring with my band, Blood Vultures. Of course, now we have to worry about getting bloody for real.

SS: WAIT. Do you have a girlfriend? Or have your sights on anyone? (Say no say no say no! Unless it's me of course.)

Nope. Not at the moment. I haven’t had the best luck with relationships in the past, so it’s kind of a touchy subject.

SS: Aw Hunter! And well you know, I have green eyes like you.. Just sayin'...

They’re very beautiful. Someone should make a song about them. Just sayin'...

SS: Someone like you... right? ;)

SS: Other than guitar do you have any hobbies or anything you like to pass the time with?

I paint. It was another thing that my mom had passed on to me. But don’t tell anyone. They already bug me enough to play the guitar, I’m not about to start painting Brooke’s portraits. Could you imagine the torture?

SS: YOU PAINT. Good Gods, you're perfect.

SS: Tell us something about the misfits we don't know! And don't say Seth and Brooke are getting it on... Cause if they aren't yet, we know they will be eventually... At least they better.

This is another one of those things that I don’t want you to tell everyone, but I have to admit that I’ve grown to enjoy the gang’s company. Even though I don’t say much while we hang out, it’s a nice change from being on my own. As for Brooke and Seth, they probably are.

SS: Do you like fighting? You seemed like you were pretty dang good at it in ReAwakened... just saying... it's hot.

My past has kind of put me off physical combat. I guess I've gotten pretty good at it, but I prefer using arrows to fists. I've seen my father's up close way too many times to count. Even though the bad guys deserve it, I still tend to have some reservations.

Synopsis: Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—or something—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.

“Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my head and act them out.”

At the age of five, Ada read her first chapter book—Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Ever since that moment, she developed an intense passion for stories and characters found within the pages of literature.

In her career as an actress and a writer, Ada currently spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning, and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Master’s of Science in Education.

Ada strives to bring a fresh voice and perspective to fiction. She has been writing creatively for many years, and is an editor of a global fashion/literary magazine called VEUX. ReVamped is her debut novel.
She lives in Toronto, Canada, and enjoys adventurous nature hikes with her adorable puppies Cara and Oreo.

Thoughts: Ada stepped up her game with ReAwakened... then again, I had no doubt she would. It's fast paced, sexy, fun and filled with tons of action-packed moments. I loved the first book, ReVamped, but ReAwakened had my heart beating crazily all over the place for this lovely group of misfits. She made the fight scenes grittier, the boys hotter, and the emotions more intense.

Synopsis: Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—or something—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.

Thoughts: Ada stepped up her game with ReAwakened... then again, I had no doubt she would. It's fast paced, sexy, fun and filled with tons of action-packed moments. I loved the first book, ReVamped, but ReAwakened had my heart beating crazily all over the place for this lovely group of misfits. She made the fight scenes grittier, the boys hotter, and the emotions more intense.

We start off a few weeks after ReVamped ends, the misfits are back and ready for action and that includes new faces popping up... some to hate and some to love. Soon, born vampires all around start disappearing and Dawn can't sit around and do nothing while her life is threatened. Since her love, Sebastian, has been disappearing to cater to an old friend, Dawn turns to the cocky and sexy Razor and her team of misfits to figure out what exactly is going on and what she can do to stop it. She soon finds herself dealing with more demons than she thought possible and everyone may not survive...

I just love these characters and this series SO much. Dawn is such a strong and courageous protagonist, she always seems to find a way to throw her whole self into situations to fight for what's right. It's impossible to not see her as an admirable leader. Then her team of misfits... which all seem to open up more in ReAwakened. It makes me so happy to see them banter and become better fighters and friends.. and maybe even more ;). Of course in that bunch is my Hunter love. HE IS MINE. Just saying. I mean... he fights like a boss and plays guitar and has green eyes and he shoots arrows... how delicious is that? Also Ethan, he doesn't play a very big role at all in this installment, yet I still heart him and I'm sure we'll see more of him in the future.

Another new character we meet is Razor. Razor is really complex to me. He comes off as this playful, sexy and cocky fella yet I feel underneath all of that is something locked away. I absolutely loved his addition to the story and Dawn and his banter. You can tell there's some kind of spark there yet Dawn's heart belongs to Sebastian. Speaking of, Sebastian... you cannot help but love him. He always is doing what's right while being protective and loving. Pool Scene. Barn Scene. I heart him. That is all.

So that all being said... Ada had my emotions everywhere. At one point I was saying out loud 'Why is there always a girl I have to hate!' and as much as you hate her, there really isn't a reason to... okay I lied, I still don't like Selena. But, there we're always times I was either scared for the characters, laughing at them, or urging them to be sexy little vamps. And, the ending... killer ending. My jaw dropped and then my heart broke. I'm just hoping and hoping and hoping that by the beginning of book three my heart is pieced back together or Ada might have people with pitch forks chasing after her. Overall, loved ReAwakened SO incredibly much and I cannot WAIT for the next book.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Synopsis: It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves?

No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs out of her sightline, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her, with a dangerous attraction, from her decision to discover the truth.

But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect.

I think this redesign is absolutely lovely. I love the light purple tint. And the girls eyes in the cover just scream at you. I love it!

____________________________________________________________________

- The Author -

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Samantha Young, is a 26 year old writer from Stirlingshire, Scotland. After graduating from the university of Edinburgh, Samantha returned to Stirlingshire where she happily spends her days writing about people she's keen for others to meet, and worlds she's dying for them to visit. Having written over ten young adult urban fantasy novels, Samantha took the big plunge into adult contemporary romance with her novel 'On Dublin Street'. 'On Dublin Street' is a #1 National Bestseller and has been re-published by NAL(Penguin US).

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Synopsis: Sam wakes up in the hospital expecting to find his girlfriend by his bedside. Instead, he finds a bleached-blond diva, claiming to be his fiancée, hovering over him. When he learns that he's just woken up from a coma and has lost the last three years of his life, any semblance of stability he thought he had falls down around him. All he wants – all he needs – is Lil.

After countless visits with her shrink and too many sleepless nights waiting for the one man she loves to walk back through the door, Lil wants nothing more than to separate herself from the life she used to have. But the moment Sam smiles at her, Lil knows it's going to take more than self-restraint to stay away.

Second-Rate Chances is about a young man fighting to regain his memory, and the one thing in his life that felt real. A modern-day Samson and Delilah, it's a look at what it means to love and be loved, and to fight though it seems hopeless.

Release Date: January 10, 2013

____________________________________________________________

About Holly

People have often told me that I live in a fantasy world. Little did they know, I was building an empire of stories in my head to one day share.

I'm a mother first, a wife second, and a writer third. I'm so thankful to have been given this chance to get my stories out of my head and onto paper.

When I'm not writing, I sell plumbing (no I'm not kidding) and read romances that leave my heart a flutter. I know a ridiculous amount of pop culture information and can quote certain movies word for word. Music drives me to write and to also sing off key.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Synopsis: The Fire Breathers have come. The Underworld calls. A choice must be made…

With her feared half blood and flame-colored hair, DEIRA D'ANU is a constant reminder of human betrayal and the war that claimed the light from Innis Fail. Now, darkness and frost creep across the land, strengthening the Lord of the Underworld. War is imminent—an allegiance with the Fire Breathers is vital. When their champion, Balen, sees Deira, he believes she is the key to finding the light and stopping the dark frost....

But the Underworld calls to Deira, tempting her to turn her back on a world that never cared and betray the champion willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and save his world from darkness.

Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. As Kelly Gay, she writes the popular adult urban fantasy series, Charlie Madigan, for Pocket Books. While she calls Raleigh, NC, home, she can also be found chatting about books and life on Facebook and Twitter.

Thoughts: That ending. THAT ENDING. Why must authors continuously torture us? My heart kept swelling and I kept having hope and then nope, tragic cliff hanger. Overall though, I absolutely couldn't get enough of this book. This is why I take a chance on indie books... because you find ones like this. Embers In A Dark Frost is thrilling, magical, and sexy!

Deira has bright red hair and it makes everyone see her as what she is... a half-blood. She's looked down upon, told to keep her hair hidden, and is given jobs that makes her discrete and hidden. During one fateful night she mistakenly finds herself in Balen's path. Balen is the Fire Breather's champion and has come to form an allegiance but one of his terms is that Deira leaves with him. Deira quickly discovers that not everyone thinks her half-blood trait is horrible and that she is destined to find the light and stop the Underworld's darkness. Balen and Deira begin the long journey to find the light but the Underworld is calling to Deira and she could never imagine the things she encounters along the way.

This book reminded me of books like Throne of Glass and Maria V. Synder's wonderful adventures. I honestly couldn't put Embers In A Dark Frost down. There was constantly one thrilling conflict after another, so many magical moments, and two main characters that are so strong. What also surprised me was how sexy Balen was and the romance that Kelly added in. You cannot help but get trapped in Balen's strength. He has such a hard exterior but once you get to know him he's so protective and seductive. Then there's Deira who has to deal with so much, like the loss of her parents, being taken away from home and thrown into an unknown world, traveling on a magic adventure to seek something she's not even sure exists and yet she does it all with tons of strength and power. Absolutely loved Balen and Deira's journey. One other person I must mention is Nox... for some reason I actually liked his character. No one kill me yet! Let me explain... he is a sexy villain and you all can try to deny it but it's true. I absolutely love those sexy villains who do bad things but are seeking love in the whirl wind of it all. I'm really curious to see more of him in the next installment.

The ending as I said is a killer. There was one thing particular about it that made me have a bigger reaction than I thought I would but alas I cannot tell you because it is spoilery! Overall I absolutely enjoyed this book from beginning to end and want part two SO BADLY. The characters give you something to love and then journey they take throws your emotions all over the place and makes you frantically flip the pages. It's magical, seductive, and thrilling. If you're considering getting this book... buy it!

About Me

Jena

Hi! I'm 25 yrs old and currently a special education IA! I love to read, listen to music, and take pictures. I'm obsessed with coffee, animals, working out, and the ocean. I have blonde hair, green eyes, and I'm 5'1". If you have any questions, ask! :)